Fence-post anchor



I M. E. ANDERSON FENCE POST ANCHOR Filed larch 20, 19 26 Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES MARTIN E. ANDERSON, OF DE KALB, ILLINOIS.

FENCE-POST ANCHOR.

Application filed March 20, 1926. Serial No. 96,337.

It is common practice to provide the lower portion of. a fence post with a device termed an anchor for the purpose of holding the post more securely in the ground and particularly to prevent the post from being upheaved by the action of frost in the ground.

The objects of my invention are to so constructa post and an anchor therefor that the anchor can be easily and quickly securedto the post by the user and thus enable the posts and anchors to be shipped and stored separately; to so construct a post and its anchor that the anchor may be firmly secured in place without the use of any tool and with out welding or employing any separate fastening devices, such as rivets, thereby Cheapening the cost as compared with the production of posts having anchors that are riveted to them; and to provide a construction of anchor that will he so engaged by the earth into which the post and anchor are driven that it will enter the ground easily and will better resist any tendency of the post to be tipped sidewise or be moved up out of position by the action of frost in the ground, or

otherwise. I accomplish these objects as illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter described. That which I believe to be new will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a fence post embodying the invention, the post at the points of attachment of the anchor being in section, and a portion of the upper part of v the post being broken away;

F igf2 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the post shown in Fig. 1, and showing the anchor in position thereon;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the anchor; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section through the post and its anchor, the section being taken at line 4 l of Fig. 1. 7

Referring to the several figures of the drawing,-A indicates a metal fence-post which may be of any usual form, the form shown being one well known. The fence-post shown comprises a web 5 having along one of its edges a comparatively wide head or flange 6 and along its other edge a narrower head or flange 7, such heads or flanges projecting beyond both faces of the web 5 and thus giving to the post the shape in cross-section of the letter T, as shown by Fig. 4. While not essential to an embodiment of my invention, I prefer to use a post having heads or flanges or flange 6 are notched or fluted for the purpose of affording a means for the attachment of wire clamps that secure the usual fence wires against the post.

B indicates as a whole my improved anchor, which is formed from a single piece of heavy wire, that, as here shown, is bent centrally upon itself to form a loop 8, from which extend oppositely-inclined side members 9, the wire being further bent or turned to produce two inwardly-directed members 10, which are here shown as being in substantial alinement with each other and having their free ends quite close together and approximately in line with the center of the loop 8. The anchor, therefore, is in the form of a triangle having a transversely split base, and arranged with its apex lowermost.

The heavy strip of wire of which the anchor is formed is to be of a character that will have sufficient springiness or resiliency to permit its inturned members 10 that form the base of the triangle to be drawn away from each other far enough to allow the en larged edge portion 7 of the post to be inserted between and pushed past such ends. This pulling apart of the ends of the mem bers 10 can be conveniently accomplished by an outward pull on the two side members 9. In the lower portion of the web 5 of the post is a hole 11 and in applying the anchor to the post the ends of the members 10 will be brought opposite such hole so that by releasing the side members 9 the two members 10 will spring into the hole from opposite sides of the web. The anchor is then movedalong through the hole to carry it to a position where its loop end 8 rests in the hole, which is made large enough to permit the easy sliding of the anchor into such position. lVhen the loop end 8 has been seated in the hole 11 the anchor will be turned up alongside of the edge 7 of the post and the ends of the members 10 again be drawn apart to let such edge port-ion pass between them. When again released the members 10 will spring toward each other and clamp the web 5 of the post. The anchor will then be correctly positioned on the post to constitute an effective anchoring device therefor. If made of stiff, heavy all) wire, as it should be, the frictional contact of the ends of the members 10 against the opposite faces of the post will be found suliicient to ensure the retention of the anchor in proper operative position at all times even where such faces of the post are quite smooth. Obviously, though, such faces might be roughened or be provided with depressions opposite the ends of the members 10 to obtain a stronger engagement of the parts. The flanges at the sides of the post prevent material displacement of the upper portion of the anchor because to disengage the inen'ibers 10 from the post considerable power mustbe applied to draw them apart sulliciently to permit their ends to pass even the smaller one of the two heads or flanges.

By making the anchor of a piece of heavy wire bent substantially as shown and described I not only provide a device capable of quick and easy attachment to a post, but one which by reason of its shape and arrangement on the post can easily be (..llV8I1 into the ground with the post, and when in place in the ground will allow the soil to enter and pack in the spaces between its side and top members and the body of the post, thus rendering it and its post less liable to be disturbed by the action of frost in the ground, or from other causes, than is the case where the'anchor is formed of sheet metal. Furthermore, it will be noted that the wider portion of the anchor is uppermost, and is removed a considerable distance from the lower end of the post, thereby giving it great leverage to resist lateral strains sustained by the post, and consequently securing it more firmly in position.

As above remarked, owing to the wedge shape of the anchor and the fact that the apex thereof is lowermost the post with the anchor attached thereto can easily be driven into the ground. This is of considerable advantage, inasmuch as the majority of the prior fence post anchors require that a hole be dug for receiving the anchor. Moreover, by virtue of the wedge shape of the anchor and the fact that the apex is lowermost it will be evident that as the anchor is being driven down into ti o ground the wedging pressure exerted on the inclined side portions of the anchor will force the inwardly directed upper ends of the anchor into firm grip ping engagement with the sides of the post. After the anchor has been driven into the bends ground, the horizontal surfaces of these ill-- wardly directed upper ends function most effectively for preventing upheaval of the post by the action of frost in the ground, and as they provide a widely extended bearing surface remote from the lower end of the post, this arrangement serves very effectively to hold the post stiffiy in the ground. The U-shaped lower loop portion of the anchor, formed by the bend 8 and the outward immediately above it, holds the lower portion of the anchor against lateral displacement, and therefore insures its entering the ground properly, and without tending to divert the post from a vertical position.

It also provides for forming the laterally divergent side portions at a more pronounced angle, so that their inwardly directed upper ends are caused to grip the post more tightly when the anchor is driven into the ground.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a post having a hole therein, of an anchor therefor project ing laterally from the post at opposite sides thereof comprising a triangular member of resilient material having its apex lowermost and threaded through said hole, the upper base portion of said triangular member being split transversely to adapt it to be held in position by frictional engagement with the post.

2. The combination with a post having a hole therein, of a wedge shaped anchor for said post consisting of a single strip of re silient material having the apex of the wedge passing through said hole and being disposed lowermost to enable said anchor to be driven into the ground with the post, the ends of said strip being turned inwardly to form a substantially flat upper edge for the anchor and contacting with the sides of said post.

8. The combination with a post having a hole therein, of a wedge shaped anchor for said post consisting of a single length of heavy wire in which is formed a U-shaped loop portion at the apex of the anchor, said U-shaped loop portion passing through said hole, oppositely inclined side portions diverging laterally from the upper ends of said loop portion, and inwardly turned upper portions forming a substantially flat upper edge for the wedge and contacting with the sides of said post.

MARTIN E. ANDERSON.

Inn 

